


Four Things That Never Happened to Nikolai Luzhin (and One That Did)

by Ribby



Category: Eastern Promises
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-02
Updated: 2010-04-02
Packaged: 2017-10-08 15:39:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/77158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ribby/pseuds/Ribby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four things that never happened to Nikolai--and one that did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Four Things That Never Happened to Nikolai Luzhin (and One That Did)

**Author's Note:**

> Most of these are AU (obviously)--a few notes at the end, just to clear up confusion.

  
**1\. Happily Ever After?**

Nikolai gazed out of the small, but reasonably clean motel room, smiling only slightly at the sound of Christine's laughter, and Anna's voice teasing her. He had hoped it would all be over, but Kirill didn't give up easily. He would search all of London--the whole country if he had to--in order to get Nikolai back.

Kirill didn't care about Anna or the baby, though Nikolai didn't think he would harm them... all he wanted was Nikolai. And Nikolai wondered how long his happy family would last.

Anna called, "Kolya... come play with your daughter." Nikolai couldn't help the flinch at the name... it was too raw and too close. But he went in to his family, with a not-entirely false smile on his face, and prayed to a God he no longer believed in that they would have a little more time.

And that when the day came, he could surrender himself easily, without hurting those who loved him. He knew that would be the hardest thing he'd ever done.

  


**2\. Alliances** (sequel to _Treaty Bargain_)

Nikolai knows Alex, knows his type.

Knows that Alex can take any amount of violence--pain, humiliation--and the sex will mean nothing. But tenderness, gentleness--that will break him apart. Make him Nikolai's, for however long Nikolai needs him.

Kolya enjoys the feel of Alex's body against his; Alex sleeps the sleep of the exhausted, his muscles completely lax. Kolya marvels at the trust he is given.

Nikolai approves. Trust is useful. Alex is useful. And Nikolai has no time for people who are not useful. And as he thinks that, he ignores the small voice in the back of his head that speaks of Kirill, of what will happen when Kirill finds out. For Kirill will never know—or when he does, it will be because Nikolai tells him.

So Nikolai is gentle... and Alex bends, but does not break yet. He will, and Nikolai will have him.

  


**3\. It's Good to be King**

It didn't take Kirill long before he realized he was completely out of his depth. Semyon had had years to build up contacts, possibilities; Kirill had only his reputation--and that was decidedly tarnished.

Thankfully, Nikolai was there to help. As always, he was behind Kirill, suggesting, guarding, making Kirill look good---and what Kirill did was exactly what Nikolai wished him to do, no more and no less.

To everyone else, Kirill was King, and Nikolai his faithful right hand. That was how it should be.

But alone, the dynamic shifted. Kirill was a puppet-prince, and he knew that. Nikolai was King in all but name now, and Kirill could do nothing. *Would* do nothing, for Nikolai meant everything to him; he could not survive without him.

And Nikolai smiled his knife-edged smile, knowing that every king had his adviser... and that every adviser was the power behind the throne. It was good to be King.

  


**4\. The Happy Prince**

"Kolya, please... I need it. Please. You're the only one I trust enough." Kirill speaks through tears, embarrassed but resolute. Kolya hesitates, his face furrowed, torn between what he wants and what he knows he should do. Seeing Kolya's hesitation, knowing if he doesn't act he will lose his chance, Kirill uses the last weapon he has... "That's an order."

At those words, Kolya freezes... and it is Nikolai who takes him, not roughly but with little tenderness. Kirill remembers watching Nikolai fuck the whore... this is the same. Mechanical, working until he comes, no real feeling for the hole he fucks.

Kirill comes, both from Nikolai's fucking and from his own hand, but it is empty, meaningless... as empty as Nikolai's eyes. The slap to his ass as Nikolai pulls out feels like a punishment... and he wonders for a moment if Nikolai will simply toss money down on the bed and leave.

"Why?" he whimpers.

"I would have given without asking," replies Nikolai. "But orders are orders... and you're the boss."  
Things are never quite the same between them after that—but Kirill still asks, and Nikolai still complies. And if Kirill weeps afterwards, and Nikolai spends the nights cursing vilely at fate and chance, well, no one expected a happy ending.

  


**5\. Thunder and Lightning**

"Kirill!"

The voice is wrong, but Kirill turns anyway... and there Kolya is.

"Kolya," he breathes, and somehow he knows it will all be right. Kolya comes toward him, anguish on his face, hands together as if he is praying. His face and body still wear the marks of Semyon's brutality--but his eyes are only for Kirill, and they speak volumes. It is that vulnerability, more than the words he speaks, that turns Kirill from his task.

"It would be bad for us. Your dad has gone too far." Kolya pauses, and then says, low and in Russian, "It's our turn now. " Kolya gathers him in, strong arms around him to soothe and comfort; there are only the two of them now.

"You're either with him or with me." How could Kolya ever think he would be else? Kirill knows what his father is now, knows how little Semyon cares for him. Kolya--Kolya loves him. Kolya tips Kirill's chin up with one finger, and repeats, "With him or with me," then nods at what he sees in Kirill's eyes.

Kirill's startled by the baby's cry, but gives her willingly to Kolya when he's asked. Kolya gives her to the girl, and Kirill fears he will be left alone again. But Kolya returns, wrapping his arms about Kirill and tucking him close, shutting out everyone but the two of them. Thunder and Lightning--it would be wrong if they were separated.

Kirill tries to speak through his tears. "I swear, I didn't know my Papa was setting you up. I swear!"

"Shh... I know, I know, Kirill. Is OK. Partners again, Thunder and Lightning, that's us." The press of Kolya's lips against his temple, his hair, is more soothing than his words, and Kirill clings to him, knowing that sooner or later he'll have to let go.

Though it is Kolya who holds him, it is Nikolai who speaks. "You're the Boss now."

Kirill laughs through his tears, and Nikolai's arms close about him for a little while longer. When Kolya lets him go, suggests going home, he does the only thing he can to keep them together. "We're missing the fucking party of the year—let's go! Happy New Year!"

He swaggers away, partly from relief, partly because he doesn't want to see Nikolai with the girl. But when Kolya wraps an arm around his waist, Kirill knows he's won... and they will go into whatever future awaits them together.

**Author's Note:**

> #1 is based on a interview I read with David Cronenberg, talking about the *original* ending to Steven Knight's script.  
> #2 is Nikolai's view of my X-Files crossover _Treaty Bargain_  
> #5--some of the dialogue is from rewatching the scene, but some is also from the script, notably the "Thunder and Lightning" comments, which I loved too much not to use.


End file.
